Breaking Bread: Wok and Roll

The wok certainly came from the Southeast Asia area of the world although it can also be found in versions in India and the Middle East. The most popular woks are made of carbon steel and come in two versions the round bottom or the flat bottom. The flat bottom is used primarily on electric stoves. It takes a real hot fire to get the perfection that you get with restaurant style woks. Most of us have to make do with the wimpy stoves we have especially those of us who are apartment dwellers. Let’s face it whoever designed an apartment kitchen obviously ate out all the time and never tried to cook in their creations. I know it doesn’t get as hot as I would like but I end up using an electric wok do to size considerations and an electric stove that barely has enough oomph to boil water let alone do a lot of real cooking.

If you use a carbon steel wok you need to make sure that it is properly seasoned. About.com has several good articles of seasoning a new wok and cleaning a seasoned wok. One thing to remember if you are going to stir-fry is that it goes fast and you have to be prepared ahead of time. The great thing about good stir-fry is that it uses very little oil and gives you a healthier food as a result. I use small Pyrex bowls to hold the ingredients and that way I can add them quickly.

The do ahead steps are as follows. Cut everything into even sized pieces. If you are going to marinate things do it ahead of time. Meat is easier to cut if you partially freeze it first. Combine all the ingredients for the sauce. Cook the rice, pasta or noodles before you start stir-frying. Remember stir-frying is fast. Be a good scout and be prepared.

When you have everything ready to go heat the oil in the wok. The first thing to go in when hot is the garlic, ginger or onions. This will only be stir-fried a few seconds before you move it to the side. The vegetables go next and the order depends on the type of vegetable. The denser and tougher veggies such as carrots will go first. The longer time it takes to cook the earlier it goes into the stir-fry. The more delicate vegetable such as snow peas will go last. Meats will go after the vegetables. To make sure they cook fast don’t over-crowd the wok. Cook in batches if you have too. The sauce goes last after you push the vegetables or meat to the side. Once it starts to boil you mix the rest of the ingredients into it to coat the meat and vegetables.

So those are the general tips on stir-frying. I have many cookbooks on Chinese cooking. Two of the greats are Ken Hom and Martin Yan. I also have Ming Tsai’s Blue Ginger cookbook. I have several cookbooks that were written by Chinese-American mother and daughter teams that give the history of immigrant cooking in this country so I not only get wonderful recipes but I get a history of the food as well and of the people who brought the food to the United States.

These are some recipes that I do using my wok. Please feel free to add your own. Let us know of any really good restaurants that you have had stir-fry at. Add more history if you would like. Breaking Bread is a participation diary. If you have ideas for future diaries please let me know and I’ll try to do my best to accommodate those ideas.

Asparagus and Mushroom Stir Fry
Recipe By     :Michele Wilson
Serving Size  : 6    

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient — Preparation Method
——–  ————  ——————————–
  1              pound  asparagus spears — sliced
  8             ounces  mushroom caps — crimini, sliced
  1              whole  shallot — minced
  1              clove  garlic — minced
  1         tablespoon  ginger root — minced
  2        tablespoons  low sodium soy sauce
  1         tablespoon  sherry
  1         tablespoon  five-spice powder
  1         tablespoon  plum sauce
  1         tablespoon  vegetable oil

Heat wok or large frying pan to high. Add oil.

Add shallots, garlic and ginger. Stir fry 30 seconds.

Add asparagus and mushrooms and stir fry 2 minutes. Push vegetables to the side.

Add soy sauce, sherry, five-spice and plum sauce. Heat to boiling.

Coat vegetables with sauce and serve.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 52 Calories; 3g Fat (42.0% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 214mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat.

Kung Pao Chicken With a Pow
Recipe By     :Michele Wilson
Serving Size  : 4    

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient — Preparation Method
——–  ————  ——————————–
  12            ounces  chicken breasts without skin — boneless
  1         tablespoon  sherry — * see note
  1           teaspoon  cornstarch
     1/4           cup  water
     1/4           cup  soy sauce, low sodium
  4          teaspoons  cornstarch
  1         tablespoon  sugar
  1           teaspoon  rice wine vinegar
  5             dashes  hot pepper sauce — * see note
  1         tablespoon  cooking oil
  2          teaspoons  ginger root — minced
  2             cloves  garlic — minced
  1                cup  green onions — cut in 1/2″ pieces
     1/2           cup  peanuts
  2               cups  hot cooked rice

Rinse chicken and pat dry.  Cut into 3/4 inch pieces.  In a medium bowl, stir together chicken, sherry and 1 teaspoon cornstarch.  Let stand for 15 minutes.  

For sauce, in a small bowl, stir together water, soy sauce, 4 teaspoons cornstarch, sugar, vinegar and hot pepper sauce.  Set aside.

 Pour cooking oil into a wok or large skillet and heat over medium-high heat.  Stir-fry garlic and ginger root for 15 seconds.  

Add chicken mixture; stir fry for 3 to 4 minutes or until meat is no longer pink inside.  Push chicken from center of wok.  

Stir sauce and add to center of wok.  Cook and stir until thick and bubbly.  

Add green onions and peanuts and stir to coat with sauce.  Cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes more or until heated through. Serve over hot rice.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 379 Calories; 14g Fat (32.3% calories from fat); 24g Protein; 39g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 39mg Cholesterol; 674mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 3 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : * I use cream sherry for a slightly sweeter taste.

* I like Tiger Sauce brand pepper sauce.

Korean Bulgogi
Recipe By     :Michele Wilson
Serving Size  : 8     Pr

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient — Preparation Method
——–  ————  ——————————–
  2             pounds  sirloin steak, trimmed — sliced thin
     1/2           cup  low sodium soy sauce
  6        tablespoons  sugar
     1/4      teaspoon  crushed red pepper flakes
  6              whole  green onions — minced fine
  4             cloves  garlic — minced fine
  2        tablespoons  sweet sherry
  1 1/2    tablespoons  vegetable oil — 1/2″ cubes
  1           teaspoon  sesame oil
  1         tablespoon  sesame seeds
  1         tablespoon  cornstarch

Slice the steak into thin slices and put into a freezer bag.

Mix remaining ingredients except cornstarch together and pour over steak. Marinate the steak for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

Remove steak from marinade and fry in batches in a wok or large frying pan over medium high heat. Remove to a bowl.

Add remaining marinade to the frying pan and add cornstarch. Heat to boiling and stir until thickened. Pour over steak and toss to coat.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 324 Calories; 19g Fat (54.7% calories from fat); 22g Protein; 14g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 71mg Cholesterol; 661mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 3 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

Szechuan Beef With Vegetables
Recipe By     :Michele Wilson
Serving Size  : 6    

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient — Preparation Method
——–  ————  ——————————–
  1              pound  beef fajitas meat — thinly sliced
  1             medium  red bell pepper — seeded and sliced
     1/2           cup  green onions — sliced
  8             ounces  waterchestnuts, canned — drained and sliced
  1         tablespoon  ginger — minced
  2             cloves  garlic — minced
     1/4         pound  pea pods
  8             ounces  mushrooms — sliced
  4        tablespoons  low sodium soy sauce
     1/4      teaspoon  crushed red pepper
  2        tablespoons  hoisin sauce
  2        tablespoons  sherry
  2        tablespoons  chili sauce — *see Note
  3        tablespoons  vegetable oil
  1         tablespoon  cornstarch
  1         tablespoon  water
  4               cups  cooked rice

Slice green onions, mushrooms, and red bell pepper after removing seeds and ribs.

Remove strings from snow peas.

Mix hoisin sauce, sherry, soy sauce and chili sauce together.

Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to heated wok or large frying pan. Add onion, garlic, ginger and crushed red pepper. Stir-fry for 30 seconds.

Add red bell peppers, mushrooms, water chestnuts and snow peas. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Remove vegetables from wok.

Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to wok. Add half of the meat and stir-fry until browned. Remove from wok. Repeat with remaining oil and beef. Add the first batch of beef back to the wok and push beef to sides of wok.

Add sauce to center of wok. Heat to boiling. Stir cornstarch and water together. Add to sauce in wok. Stir until thickened.

Add vegetables to wok. Stir to coat meat and vegetables with sauce. Reheat meat and vegetables.

Serve over rice.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 433 Calories; 16g Fat (32.9% calories from fat); 21g Protein; 50g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 39mg Cholesterol; 550mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 2 1/2 Grain(Starch); 2 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : I use Tiger Sauce brand.

Teriyaki Fried Rice
Recipe By     :Michele Wilson
Serving Size  : 6    

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient — Preparation Method
——–  ————  ——————————–
  3               cups  cooked rice — cooled
  2              whole  eggs
     1/4      teaspoon  salt
  4        tablespoons  salad oil
  1              small  onion — chopped
  1              clove  garlic — minced
  1                cup  peas
  4             ounces  mushrooms — sliced
  8             ounces  waterchestnuts, canned — drained and sliced
  4        tablespoons  low-sodium teriyaki sauce
  1           teaspoon  five-spice powder

Rub together the rice with wet hands so that the grains are separated; set aside.  In a small bowl, lightly beat together eggs and salt.

Heat a wok over medium heat; when wok is hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil.  When oil is hot, add eggs and cook, until soft curds form; remove from wok and set aside.

Increase heat to medium-high; add 1 tablespoon more of oil.  When oil is hot add onions and garlic.  Stir-fry until onion is soft; then add peas, water chestnuts, garlic and mushrooms.  Stir-fry until heated through; about 2 minutes.  Remove from wok and set aside.

Pour remaining oil into wok. When oil is hot add rice and stir-fry until heated through; about 2 minutes.  Stir in vegetables, eggs, teriyaki sauce and Chinese Five Spice.  Stir mixture gently, breaking eggs into small pieces.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 286 Calories; 11g Fat (35.3% calories from fat); 8g Protein; 39g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 71mg Cholesterol; 266mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 2 Fat.

Sweet and Spicy Chinese Beef and Mushrooms
Recipe By     :Michele Wilson
Serving Size  : 4    

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient — Preparation Method
——–  ————  ——————————–
  8             ounces  Portobello mushroom caps — baby, sliced
  1              pound  beef skirt steak — or flat iron, sliced
  4                     green onions — sliced, white some green
  1              clove  garlic — minced
     1/4      teaspoon  crushed red pepper flakes
  1         tablespoon  low-sodium soy sauce
  1           teaspoon  hoisin sauce
  1 1/2    tablespoons  plum sauce
     1/2      teaspoon  seasoned salt
     1/2      teaspoon  seasoned pepper
  1         tablespoon  five-spice powder
  1           teaspoon  dry mustard
  1           teaspoon  dijon mustard
     1/2      teaspoon  brown sugar
  1         tablespoon  butter
  2               cups  cooked rice

Mix garlic, crushed red pepper, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, plum sauce, salt, pepper, dry mustard, dijon mustard and brown sugar until smooth. Set aside.

Add butter to hot fry pan or wok. Stir fry the mushrooms and green onions for two minutes.

Add the beef to the wok or fry pan and stir fry until browned thee minutes or until done to your liking.

Add sauce to the fry pan or wok and stir to coat the meat and vegetables. Heat until sauce is bubbling.

Serve over rice.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 385 Calories; 15g Fat (36.7% calories from fat); 26g Protein; 34g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 66mg Cholesterol; 499mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 3 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : I use sliced baby bella mushrooms in this dish. I used a flat iron steak sliced thin against the grain.

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Chinese with Bill & Sheila